"A little pearl in the north" a Beetsterzwaag Travel Page by nighthawk

Beetsterzwaag is different from most places in Friesland. Since the old days the rich have lived here and it still shows in the many large houses round this village.
In the 18th century the rich landowners made a deal with those who had nothing and the woods around Beetsterzwaag were created.
In the old days the woods had a hermitage house, 12 trees called the Twelve Apostles and large ponds.

I love to go here for it is were my mother grew up and where she had her fondest memories.
When we kids grew older, she so wanted to move back here but it never happened.
Mum and dad however did go here a lot, either with or without us, kids, and one could clearly see how she loved to be back.

Some of the large houses are:

<b>Lyndenstein</b>
Lyndenstein was built in 1821 as a summer residence for the family Van Lynden.
The family donated the house to the Cornelia-foundation, named after a member of the family that died too soon. The foundation had to maintain a free hospital for Frisian children.
Nowadays this old house is a school for physical and multiple handicapped kids.

Many building in the main street can still be recognized as part of large houses and it sure is worth the walk to go wandering through Beetsterzwaag.

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Lyclama house seen from the street

<b>Lycklamahûs</b>

This house has a large history. In 1823 the foundations were laid by Catharina Johanna Aebinga van Humalda. Several families owned the house after her and when the last owner took his life in 1917 his niece, Anna Adriana Clara Cornelia Grundtmann became owner.
She gave the house its name.

In 1930 she got married to jonkheer Joan de Jonge van Zwijnsbergen. When he died in 1971 the house was cleared out.
Nowadays the house is part of the town hall and people can get married here, like my brother did.

On the photograph is the front of the Lyclama state. To the left of it is the former stable house, you can recognize it by its white colour and high placed windows.

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Harinxma house

<b>Harinxmastate</b>

In 1843 Maurits van Harinxma gave order to built country seat Harinxma state and now it is the only large house still in private property. Up to this day it is occupied by a member of the family.

The house is famous for its portrait gallery of about 50 family portraits.
The oldest painting is the portrait of Pieter van Harinxma toe Slooten is from 1477 and is the oldest known Frisian painting.